Prac. Module 3.1

The Extended Study. Biology. UCLES/OCR.

This site deals with TWO aspects: How to write it up, and some ideas for possible study

Please note: This site is not an official page endorsed by UCLES. It is meant as a free help to all "A" level Biology students from a lecturer/examiner/moderator.
My e'mail address is: rtj@enterprise.net

No fancy images on this site ... very easy download!

V5.1 (June '99)

Overview:

There are 3 skills to be assessed, each marked out of 12. These are:
A. Planning
B. Implementing
C. Interpreting
We feel that it is obligatory that you look at the mark scheme/skill breakdown before you start the write-up.

Skill D, (researching), has now been droppped from the assessment. However we would still expect references to be made in your method and interpretation.

Hints:

1. Do NOT be overambitious. Keep it relatively simple. Experiment on one or two variables ( "factors") only. No one is expecting a PHd.
2. Where you can, do replicates to allow a statistical analysis to be done. (Very important. It is assumed nearly everyone will use some kind of suitable stats test.)
3. Make it original ... in the sense that you have never done it before and are not copying from any (practical) source whatsoever.
4. Use controls and "standardised techniques ".
5. Be scrupulous over your record keeping. Keep your raw data (never mind if the sheets are stained in coffee/sea-water/mud etc). Place these in the appendix.
6. Use a word-processor if possible. (No penalty incurred if you hand-write it, as long as it is legible).
7. Keep to a standard way (e.g."the Harvard method") of writing up your study, especially when it comes to writing the references.
8. Always number tables, graphs and pictures etc and refer to them in the text. Do not just use them as "wallpaper".
9. Keep the main write-up succinct and to the point. Do not try to pad out your work with unnecessary raw data. If you really must include it, put it in the appendices!
10. Remember I must supervise (and now observe) everyone's work. Be prepared for me to look over your shoulder. If your study is work-related,or takes place in the holiday, I MUST interview you afterwards and examine you on those parts I was unable to observe.
11. Safety: You must NOT hazard yourself or others in any way whatsoever. You MUST ensure that the apparatus, chemicals and procedure meet all present COSHH guidelines. If in doubt ASK!! You must not work in a lab. without a supervisor. All previous safety advice must be heeded to the letter. When you do the write-up remember to mention safety hazards and the precautions you took. (This might take-up a third of a page!)
We will ask you to complete a COSHH form on you exp. Place this in the appendix.
Of course we/the Board would not sanction your proposed exp. anyway if it was deemed unsafe. So drop those ideas about HIV research/nuclear bombs/rabies vaccines/sewage flora / effect of alcohol/ questionnaires on sexual habits etc!
12. A pilot study is invaluable. If you do one mention it with any lessons that you learned and alterations to your procedures/protocols. Place this at the start of your method.
13. You will be given a sheet that contains:..... "I certify that this project is my own work and that all sources of information have been acknowledged". SIGN and DATE it.
14. I must warn you that "bog-standard" exps. (caffeine on pulse rates; smoking on lung function; any study just consisting of questionnaires, usually score poorly)

You need to plan ahead. Six weeks before the deadline isn't good enough!
YOU must write out your own proposals on your own special form and submit it to the Board.

15. Your exp. maybe brilliant ... but we can only really judge this on the quality of the write-up. Please take-in all previous 14 points. So important is this write-up I wish to lay the law down about exactly what you should do:

The Write-Up. Detail:

Please look at the Mark Scheme as well as this list!

2 500 words (approx.) excluding headings,tables, graphs & appendices. (This whole document is 2 998 words).
It should be based on approx. 20 hours 'experimenting time'. It should be handed-in for moderation by April 30th .

1.Titles and hypothesis.
A. Titles must be concise specific and focused.
e.g. "An investigation into Sensory Perception " is not good enough when really the student meant: "An exp. to investigate reaction times in catching a dropped ruler, using sight,sound and touch stimuli" . (Incidentally this is too ambitious; 1 or 2 stimuli is all that is needed).
Another (real) e.g : "An exp to test the efficacy of enzymes in washing powder " is a poor, unfocused title. Better is:
B. " Exp. to test the hypothesis that the enzymes in Biological Daz have no effect on the removal of oil and tar from cotton fabric" .
Notice the use of the NULL HYPOTHESIS in this last example. This is the preferred way of wording your title. However you shouldn't lose marks if it's written in the normal way.
Where possible, your hypothesis should be quantitative (e.g. As the temperature of 'x' increased by 10°C its rate of 'y' doubled) Your Ho. must be more than an amplified aim. By all means add the AIM of the study as well if you wish.

2. An abstract is essential. You should make use of a limited referral to the data if you wish. It should contain a fair summary; concise statements of problems and methods, and summarised results (with some data), including stats results, and conclusions. 1page? Write this last, but place it at the front of your write-up, under the title.

3. Presentation Each section must be headed: abstract; contents list (inc.page nos), introduction, Ho, methods, results, conclusions, limitations, modifications/further work (different from a mere restatement of the limitations), and acknowledgements, and a bibliography/references.(NB this last item is no longer assessed).

4. Introduction Concise and relevant. This is where the "real or "hard" biology/science" comes in. Use advanced texts etc to explain the background and context to your study. You must show us that you understand the principle/theory/model that you are investigating. Don't copy however (unless you acknowledge in the usual way). Use as many different references as you can - as long as they are relevant! The researched information should be clearly identified in the text. No credit given for aims & methods here. 1.5 - 2 sides?

5. Method.
A. A full & clear account so that the work can be repeated from the record given. You are advised to include the sequence of the experimental work. Include vols. concs. temps. etc
How did you select your random sample?
List & discuss the variables, and, how you controlled them
B. Practical techniques including where appropriate; pilot study (& lessons learnt); adequate controls; adequate replicas; adequate sample size; adequate frequency of readings.
C. Use of appropriate apparatus and techniques. Include safety & any risk assessment please, (but put the COSHH form in the appendix).
NB If using a questionnaire you must explain the purpose of ALL the questions you set.
D. Quality of the design & methods used.

6. Results
A Suitable recording of the RAW i.e. unprocessed, data. Place in appendix .
B. Processed data: tables, charts, graphs etc, in the main body of your write-up. NB keep raw & processed data separate. See later for extra tips. Don't "overgraph".
C. Quality of observations & measurements & data collected. (i.e accurate & detailed measurements made to the appropriate degree of precision).
D. Stats tests/data analysis. You must tell us what confidence limits you were using. A computer program is OK here & will not lose you marks. WHY did you use this/these test(s)?
There is an excellent web site on stats at: http://homepages.enterprise.net/rtj/Whichstats6.html or use this link, including a section on how to write-up this part. In most case hand-drawn graphs are better than computer-generated ones.

7.Conclusions.
A. Conclusions must be logically derived from the results. They should be presented as tests of the original hypothesis, (so refer back!)
B. Quality of discussion. Use your knowledge of biological principles/ theory to explain trends & patterns of own results including anomalous results.
C. Discussion (referral) of initial aims & implications. Relevance and implications of the conclusions.

8. Limitations. Reliability, & Sources of Error.
At least 3. But no excuses! If "sample size was too small", no marks! You must qualify it!
Similarly "not enough time" is not good enough as you should have planned it better. On the other hand " could only incubate 400 plates in 4 weeks as the college only possesses 1 small incubator, shared with 5 other students" is OK! Don't just list your 3+ error sources, discuss & explain them.

9. Modifications/further work. At least 3 needed. Must be more than just restatements of the previous section.

(Now in your write-up should come the acknowledgements (indicating the source and extent of any help received, followed by a bibliography and finally the appendix).

10. Style/SPAG/communication skills Word-process with a spell-checker! Use past-tense please.

Your assignment should be submitted in a light folder and not in a heavy ring binder. It will be returned to you.

I personally do not like research topics base solely on questionnaires. I f you must use them please read a book, or get some help, on how to write them. Briefly: Have an introduction to tell them what to do. Do not bias your questions. Mark at least 50 q'naires. Do not put more than 12 questions in each. Put one or two marked papers in your appendix. Try to cross-reference the answers that you get. Say "thank you' at the end.

Extra Detail; Results: Tables and Charts.

Tables

The 1st column should be the independent variable and the subsequent columns should be the dependent variables (the readings taken). No units next to the no.s.

Pie Charts

Draw sectors in rank order; no more than 6; starting at"noon" and proceeding clockwise. If a comparison is being made with another pie chart however then the sequence of segments must be the same. Comparison between pie charts can also be made by making the size of the circle proportional to the size of each sample.

Bar Charts

Narrow blocks of equal width that do not touch. USE WHEN ONE OF THE 2 VARIABLES IS NOT NUMERICAL. e.g. amount of Vit C in different fruits.

Column Graphs

Use when plotting frequency distributions with discrete data (e.g. frequency of of occurrence of nests with different no.s of eggs. The blocks should not touch and should be drawn in order of increasing or decreasing magnitude.

Histograms:

Use when plotting frequency distributions with continuous data (e.g. frequency of occurrence of leaves of different lengths). The blocks should touch and should be drawn in order of increasing or decreasing magnitude.

Exemplar material will be available.

Return to Biology Index

The Extended Investigation, UCLES modular Biology.

A list of some possible ideas follows. Use for emergency only. We hope you will all be able to think up your own titles.
As we are constantly adding ideas you will notice that some of the titles may be repeated- with slight variations.

Some possible ideas for your Research Topic

n.b some topics may only be suitable for social biology.

Remember to abide by all the necessary Safety Rules. Do not incubate microbes above 25^o C

1. Various exps. on aerators ('pop"-bottle fermenters can be a good bet here).e.g.:
The effect of media composition/media concentration/pH/temp. on yeast biomass/% protein content of yeast. (8 exps here).
Production of vinegar, using the same variables as above.
2. When mashing barley to make beer, the enzymes will hydrolyse the starch to malt(ose); the ideal temperature seems surprisingly high at 660C. I wonder if any exps can be done here ... what is the optimum temp ? etc
Point of information: There are 2 major enzymes involved : a amylase and b amylase. The former has optima at pH 5.6 and 700C . The latter at pH 5.0 and 600C. I can give more details!
3. A long-term ecological study.
4. Do spiders in their webs only respond to certain frequencies when the web is vibrated ? (Tuning forks?).
5. Does caffeine or alcohol(or some other drug) increase the heartbeat of aphids/daphnia etc.
To enhance this study why not use a strobe? See JBE (1997) 31 (4).
6. Remember those beetles we (almost) used for the genetics module? Probably genetics exps. are a non-starter, but exps on the effect of nutrients on growth and metamorphosis of the pupae may be possible.
7. The Prisoner's Dilemma. ?????
8. The effect of light intensity or quality (i.e. colour) on the relative concentration of photosynthetic pigments on the leaves of one species using TLC or paper chromatography.
9. Effect of Acid Rain/detergents on the growth of Radish.
(For a good method of measuring root length generally see: JBE (1997) 31 (3).
10. Rates of degredation of "biodegradable" packaging under the soil.
11. Effect of soil iron concn. on growth rates of seedlings.
12. Effect of Baby Bio. concs on Duckweed growth.
Similarly: Effect of (copper) coins on Duckweed growth. See JBE (1997) 31 (2).
13. Effect of fert/pesticides on Daphnia heart rate.
14. Dung degredation; factors affecting.
15. Can a (named animal) perceive colours/polarised light?
16. Effect of age/gender/IQ on short term memory (the dreaded Kim's game). OR co-ordination e.g. mirror writing.
17. Are married couples' attractiveness scores the same?
18. Do periwinkles prefer to eat one species of seaweed compared to another?
19. Handedness and co-ordination.
20. Cradling preferences in LH & RH adults, (and/or males & females)
21. Does the % cover of tarspot on sycamore trees decrease as one nears the city where S02 levels increase?
22. Does an increase in pectinase increase the yield of juice from oranges?
23. Effect of age/gender/smoking/exercise on pulse rates/peak flow. (yawn).
24. Effect of trampling/burning on vegetation.
25. The effect of run-off/ waste outfall on the BOD and Biotic Index of a stream.
26. The difference in the shrub layer between a coniferous and deciduous woodland.
27. Factors effecting the growth of Bread mould.
28. The longevity of various fruit juices once opened.
29. Factors effecting the souring of milk.
30. The effect of photoperiod on the succession of animals in a pond/tank.
31. Does lightening / thunder really make milk sour faster?
32. Does light affect the efficacy of contact-lens solutions?
33. The generation of electricity by yeast (no kid!)
34. The effect of different leaf moulds on pond water (abiotic & biotic factors).
35. Can woodlice detect different concentrations of ammonia? (If so, is there sign of a taxis?).
36 Orientation of sheep/cattle in a field throughout the day.
37. Is papain (meat tenderiser enzyme) as good at digesting protein stains as a named biological soap powder. (Colorimeter?)
38. Comparison of the glucose concn.s in various species of onions.
39.The effect of road gritting on plant species (say) 4m either side of a road. 40. The effect of temp. on the stability of immobilised enzymes.
41. The effect of washing wool with proteinases in a named biological powder on breakage/elasticity/shrinkage.
42. Similar to above but using the effect of shampoo(s) on hair.
43. The effectiveness of certain toothpastes (or mouth washes) on bacterial growth.
44. A study of ethanol production by different named yeasts.
45. The effect of different sugars on the growth of yeast.
46. The effect of preservatives on food spoilage.
47. An investigation of the growth of Rhizopus on bread with and without preservatives.
48. The effect of milk type and temperature on yoghurt formation.
49. The effectiveness of microwave ovens for destroying micro-organsms.
50. The effect of various named spices or herbs on the growth of microorganisms.
51. Effect of pectinase on named fruits in the production of fruit juice.
52. A comparison of the effectiveness of biological washing powder and digestive enzymes in removing fat-based and protein-based stains. (Or could use papain).
53. A comparison of the ascorbic acid concentration of different named varieties of potato.
54. The effect of different cooking procedures on the vitamin C content of named vegetables.
55. The effectiveness of different types of horse wormers.
56. The optimum conditions for the coagulation of casein using rennin.
57. Effect of smoking cigarettes on the fitness of 16-19 year old males and females.
58. Effect of caffeine on human sensory physiology.
59. The relationship between grip strength and the circumference of the forearm.
60. Effect of age on recovery rate after exercise in males and females.
61. An investigation of genetic variation in Brassica campestris plants.
62. The effect of Athlete's foot cream (or powder) on the growth of a named fungus (e.g. Mucor ).
63. The effect of ethene from rotting fruit on the water potential of a named fruit/veg.
64. The effect of antiseptics or garlic or antibiotics or 'spices'on the growth of a named microbe (e.g. Staphyloccusalbus or Bacillus subtilis)
65. An investigation into "Deep Heat" and other such creams. Do they really interact with skin enzymes to evolve heat? Is it better than rubbing aspirin into the skin?
66. A comparitive study into the effects of NPK fertilisers and "Rock Dust" (3mm diameter ground Welsh basalt - rich in micronutrients), on the growth of a named plant.
66.The effect of oestrogens (crushed-up "Pills") on Elodea photosynthetic activity / Daphnia heartbeat etc. (Please consult parents & doctors before using such female hormones.)
67. The effect of hand-soaps (or spot lotions or deodorants) on bacterial growth.
68. The effect of oestrogens on the elasticity/breaking strain of human hair. (Please consult parents & doctors before using such female hormones.)
69. Are pooters a hazard to health? (Exp. to see whether germs can be inhaled from this apparatus).
70. Sampling earthworm populations using detergent & mustard.
(See JBE (1998) 32 (3).)
71. Sampling rates of cellulose decomposition in soil.
(See JBE (1998) 32 (2).
72. (Cress) apical meristem inhibition by tree & shrub roots.
See JBE (1997) 31 (3).
73. The effect of 'salt-shock' on starch extraction in a named alga.
See JBE (1997) 31 (2).
74. Datalogging Hamster Biorhythms.
See JBE (1997) 31 (1).
75. The effect of Pine Needles or Heather roots on the germination rate of seedlings of species 'x'. (Both these plants are supposed to secrete root inhibitors into the soil).
76. The effect of UV light on the mutation rate of yeast (Use Magdula Red Medium to show the mutants).
77. The rate of the growth of yeast on differing carbohydrates.

There is also a Cambridge-based organisation called SAPS. It is a very useful site fot teachers and students as it contains many GCSE and "A" level practicals with teachers' notes and practical schedules. All the practicals are on plants (except one on fungi!).
You will need to alter/adjust the work schemes to make them 'original'.
Please look at their web site for downloads at:SAPS WWW site
Their list includes:
78) Fungal enzymes ("Symbiosis" in the text notes should read'mutualism').
79) Inhibition of catechol oxidase in banana by heavy metals.
80) Phosphatase enzymes on plants.
81) Plant tissue culture: the effect of sugar on the growth of root explants.
82) Pollen tube growth.
83) The effect of temp./relative humidity on the twisting action of the awns of wild oat.
84) The effect of various environmental factors of fast tissue culture; (lots of ideas on this page).
85) Plants growth substances in Coleus.
86) Spines on holly leaves.
87) Starch in Pelargonium leaf discs.
88) TLC

89) Exps using immobilised lactase on milk (See "Better milk for Cats") from the NCBE.
90) The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal action of Sage & Rosemary. Which parts are more effective?
(See Prac.30 "Focus on Biology"/Micro-organisms in Action Investigations. Hodder & Stoughton).
91) The digestion of cellulose (e.g. paper) by bacteria (Cellulomonas). This exp. comes from the NCBE.

92). The effect of 'brain rhythms' on .. sleeping patterns in humans, biorhythms in various animals etc etc. (Your brain is an electrical organ and thus gives off and is affected by weak electrical and magnetic fields. You can now make quite easily a'black box' for less than £20.00 that will produce the following 'brain waves' : alpha (sleep), beta (normal/optimism), delta (deep sleep), & theta (creativity), plus the Schumann resonance ( 'the earth's natural resonanace' which some believe gives us a feeling of well being). This box was originally made to be put under the pillow at night time to help insomniacs etc but, I wonder, what would be its effect on sleeping patterns/ biorhythms in various animals (or even plants??)

See "Everyday Practical Electronics/ETI. July 1999". pp507-511 for details about these brain waves and how to construct the box, (uses a PIC); with anyone semi-skilled in the use of a soldering-iron it should present few problems. The average lab. technician might think it a doddle!

Please let me know if you chose to do this one - I would be very intereted in the outcome!

and, from UCLES/OCR comes these gems: